This August, the 2025 US Open Mixed Doubles championship stole the spotlight. The United States Tennis Association (USTA) made some big changes. They condensed the mixed doubles tournament into a two-day spectacle during qualifying week and trimmed the field down to 16 teams—eight based on combined singles rankings and eight via wild cards. Plus, they introduced shortened sets to four games with no-ad scoring, and the winner’s purse has skyrocketed to an impressive $1 million. But this newly revamped format was met with a range of opinions from the rest of the tennis world: excitement, intrigue, skepticism, and even outright rejection at the exclusion of doubles players in favor of singles stars.

Nonetheless, the bold change quickly drew in some of the best talent in tennis, with pairings such as Carlos Alcaraz & Emma Raducanu, Iga Swiatek & Casper Ruud, and Jessica Pegula & Jack Draper. It sparked a lot of buzz in the tennis world even before the main draw kicked off. The USTA aimed to breathe new life into an event that hasn’t gotten much attention in the past, and with the way the tournament has panned out, the goal seems to have been accomplished. And with Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori, the only doubles specialists in the tournament, winning it all, even doubles purists were left satisfied. The USTA successfully utilized the star power of singles players to turn mixed doubles from something that faded into the background into a top-notch highlight.

After all, the excitement at Flushing Meadows was off the charts, especially at Arthur Ashe Stadium, where packed crowds gathered to watch the unique matchups. It felt more like a festival than your usual Grand Slam event, with DJs by the courts, excited crowds, and a real vibe of something fresh and new. In fact, the event broke attendance records with Arthur Ashe Stadium witnessing a two-day sellout, brought in celebrity attendees, increased visits to US Open digital properties, and aired in over 170 countries. Commercially, it’s been an undeniable hit, but what do the tennis experts think of this experimental approach? Is this truly the best way to find a balance between entertainment and the integrity of the sport?

Martina Navratilova, a legendary singles and doubles player with an impressive 31 Grand Slam women’s doubles titles and 10 mixed doubles titles, has been quite outspoken about the new format. She went to X to share her feelings, writing, “It’s an exhibition and I am fine with that. Shame for the people who specialize in doubles and mixed and many will miss out on the opportunity to play and make some good money. I hope it’s not counted as a real tournament.” Navratilova’s comments pointed out the ongoing struggle between the USTA’s business goals and the need to keep the competitive spirit of such a historic championship intact.

Singles stars jumped at the chance, highlighting how much fun it was and what a unique experience it turned out to be. Frances Tiafoe captured this idea when he said, “We get to play serious matches on Ashe, in front of packed arenas, and all the best players in the world are going to be playing. It’s good to get out there and have some fun, play some mixed doubles the week before [the main draw starts]. I’m going to be there doing media and all other kinds of stuff anyways, so might as well go out there and try to make some extra money and keep my lights on a little bit.”

Jack Draper found himself in a bit of hot water when he casually referred to the US Open mixed doubles as “like a bit of an exhibition format” during a press conference. His partner, Jessica Pegula, jumped in to set the record straight, saying, “You shouldn’t be saying that, but that’s okay.” But Draper later explained that the competition really felt intense and genuine, especially in the later rounds. On the flip side, doubles specialists shared their understandable frustration about being mostly left out of a Grand Slam event that focuses on their own discipline.

For example, Katerina Siniakova, the world’s top-ranked doubles player who recently snagged both the Wimbledon and Olympic mixed doubles titles, had some pretty sharp criticism. Despite being a top doubles star, she and partner Marcelo Arevalo had to apply for a wildcard, which neither of them even got. She really summed up the situation, saying, “When two world No. 1s in doubles don’t get into the tournament, there’s probably nothing more to say about it.” Siniakova was then partnered with Jannik Sinner (but only after his original partner, Emma Navarro, pulled out), but then when Sinner pulled out due to illness, Siniakova wound up missing out on participating entirely.

However, American tennis legend Andy Roddick shared his thoughts about the criticism, saying, “This entry list, I thought it would be fine, I thought we’d have some cool names and some cool matchups, this is a 12/10 with the people who are going to do this. Don’t argue with me about what mixed doubles should be if you don’t get excited about this.”

But even though some players saw the event as an exhibition of sorts, it wasn’t a walk in the park for the singles stars. Djokovic weighed in on the fact after Carlos Alcaraz (and Djokovic himself) made unexpected early exits. When asked about the challenges of switching to doubles, he shared a pretty insightful response: “[In singles] we normally return to the middle of the court and you start off the rally, you start off the point. But in doubles, if you play someone that understands how to position himself or herself at the net, you’re done, the point is finished. So you kind of have to find those angles and really be precise or maybe chip the return over the player. Those types of things I never practice. So I have to make those adjustments personally, also knowing when to cross, particularly when playing with Olga, trying to understand each other, because we don’t get to play often.”

As we look ahead, the 2025 US Open mixed doubles experiment brought up some interesting questions about how tennis is changing. It seems like the other Grand Slams might not jump on board with similar changes right away, mainly because of viability concerns and a more traditional mindset. But the USTA’s daring decision has definitely sparked a discussion about mixed doubles and how tennis can innovate overall. And following the event’s final match, there was another hot take out there.

US Open mixed doubles might have been the exact thing that tennis needed

Andrea Vavassori and Sara Errani managed to defend their US Open mixed doubles title, and it was quite the event. Being the only true blue doubles team in the tournament, the onus was on them to be flag bearers for all the doubles teams that missed out. The duo called the changes a “profound injustice,” saying they stood for all doubles pros left out of the competition. And when they clinched the title, they had completed their mission, so to speak. “This is for all the doubles players who couldn’t play this tournament,” said Errani, while Vavassori added, “We have been on a mission.”

Even with the challenges they faced, their skills as doubles players were unparalleled. Singles players like Taylor Fritz struggled with Errani’s off-pace serve, while the Italians reached the final without dropping a set. Though Swiatek and Ruud did manage to steal a set from the duo, ultimately their doubles experience and synergy as a team closed the door on Swiatek and Ruud’s challenge.

After their win, Vavassori shared his thoughts on the exciting atmosphere and the impressive level of play, pointing out how crucial it is to showcase doubles talent. He remembered a backstage moment with tennis legend John McEnroe, saying, “I was speaking with John McEnroe in the locker room. He said to me for me was really important for him to come to me and say, ‘You’re doing something good for doubles.’ So I think it will be really important in the future to know that it’s a product that can grow. With better marketing can become something better.”

McEnroe highlighted how important their win at the US Open mixed doubles was for boosting the growth and recognition of doubles in the sport. Similarly, Vavassori is feeling pretty hopeful about what’s ahead. They think that with some improved marketing and ongoing support, doubles can really thrive, both in competition and in business.